Salish Sea education in public schools breaks barriers to science, traditional knowledge, and a culture of evidence-based decision-making. How can we elevate access?

• Main Authors: Castle, Mira Lutz, Weber, Dr. Bert, Merriman, Leonard, Hanft, Sally, Kveven, Ardi, Schmitz, Elizabeth, Booker, Anna, James, Rosie Cayou
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2022
• Subjects: First Nations
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2022ssec/allsessions/393; https://cedar.wwu.edu/context/ssec/article/3555/type/native/viewcontent/SSEC_202022_20Education_20Panel_FINAL.pptx_AWSAccessKeyId_AKIAYVUS7KB2I6J5NAUO_Signature__2FW8YMMfn8vrGhOMkIrc5T9wCaTQ_3D_Expires_1690487895

If we want adult citizens who consider they are uphill from the ocean when voting and in their daily decisions, our children need opportunities to know, connect with, and help protect the Salish Sea, their home. If we want wildlife recognition to surpass brand recognition and outside playtime to surpass screen time for our children, we need estuary education growth on an exponential scale. Educating students about the watershed and sea we share is integral to any far-seeing strategic plan for recovery and fulfilling the solemn promises of our treaties. Salish Sea science in public and tribal schools reaches every child, regardless of socioeconomic, racial, cultural, or physical location advantages, expanding the privilege of environmental science field pathways to all students. Join a panel of education leaders in Washington and BC from K-12, community college, university, state and federal agencies, and the First Nations Schools Association to hear each panelist's unique perspective on the importance of Salish Sea education in K-12 and college curriculum. Then join in a discussion on how we, as western and indigenous scientists, marine educators, and managers can better pull together sea-wide to expand access to authentic science and traditional knowledge for students and teachers. Come with your unique ideas for building future Salish Sea community members who know, connect with, and protect the Salish Sea for generations to come.